Data communicating apparatus for selectively recording color and monochromatic images on different recording members

ABSTRACT

In recording a received image in an image communication apparatus, there is discriminated whether the received image is to be recorded as a color image or as a monochromatic image, then determined, according to the result of the discrimination, which of plural recording members is to be supplied, also the mutually different plural recording members are selectively supplied according to the determination, and the received image is recorded on thus supplied recording member. In this manner it is rendered possible to preferentially select an optimum recording member for monochromatic image recording and another for color image recording, thereby improving the image quality in case of color image recording and reducing the running cost in case of monochromatic image recording.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image communicating apparatus, andmore particularly to an image communicating apparatus capable oftransmitting and/or receiving a color image.

2. Related Background Art

With the recent progress in the functions of the image recording meansand image display means, the color copying machines and the colorprinters are becoming rapidly popular, and, also in the field of imagecommunicating apparatus, color facsimile apparatus and similar productsare being developed.

However such color copying machine or color facsimile apparatus isprincipally designed for the color image only, and is generally morebulky and more expensive than the apparatus for handling monochromaticimage.

On the other hand, the communication method for the color facsimile isbeing standardized under the ITU-T recommendation (formerly CCITTrecommendation), and the JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) system,for color image encoding, is already adopted as a part of T.80 series.

Also as the recording method for the color facsimile, there are alreadyknown the thermal sublimation transfer method, thermal fusion transfermethod, electrophotographic method, ink jet recording method etc., amongwhich the former three are superior in the color reproducing capabilityand are suitable for use in the apparatus designed exclusively for thecolor image, but are expensive in the running cost. On the other hand,the ink jet recording method is already used in the color printers, andis attracting attention as an inexpensive method easily adaptable tocolor image and black-and-white image, though it is inferior in thecolor reproducing ability to the former three.

As explained in the foregoing, color image processing has become popularin the communication equipment, and various products have beencommercialized in the field of color facsimile, but such products needto be improved in the following aspects:

1. high price and high running cost;

2. inconvenient for black-and-white image handling, in theexclusive-color apparatus;

3. difficulty in expansion of color function, from the current G3facsimile format; and

4. deterioration of characters, by JPEG process, in the headerinformation of the transmitting side.

These aspects will be individually discussed in more details in thefollowing:

1. High price and high running cost:

The color facsimile apparatus is at least 5 to 10 times more expensivethan the ordinary G3 facsimile apparatus, and the running cost is alsohigh, because of the following reasons:

1) The amount of information of a full-color image is 24 times of thatof a black-and-white binary image of a same resolving power, so that alarge cost is required for the image memory;

2) The color recording unit by the thermal transfer method or theelectrophotographic method requires a high manufacturing cost;

3) The thermal transfer method or the electrophotographic methodrequires a special color recording sheet, leading to a high runningcost;

4) The ink jet recording method is less expensive in the cost of therecording unit and in the running cost, but requires frequent inkreplenishment, because of the often limited ink capacity.

2. Inconvenience for black-and-white image handling, in theexclusive-color apparatus:

If the running cost in the recording unit is high, the running cost forthe black-and-white image becomes also high, so that the apparatusbecomes usable only for the color image. Consequently the user wishingto handle the monochromatic images and the color images equally has topurchase the inexpensive monochromatic apparatus and the expensive colorapparatus, so that the efficiency of office space becomes lower and thecost of purchase is also burdensome.

For this reason there is required an inexpensive color facsimileapparatus capable of monochromatic image handling equivalent to that inthe ordinary monochromatic apparatus and also of transmission andreception of the color image.

Besides, the document to be transmitted is in most cases not composed ofcolor pages only, but usually contains the color image and themonochromatic image in mixed manner in the unit of pages, for example atop page of monochromatic text followed by color pages. Transmission ofsuch document entirely in the color mode will deteriorate thetransmission speed, and the image quality of the monochromatic page isoften deteriorated.

3. Difficulty of expansion of color function from the current G3facsimile format:

The ability to communicate with the currently most popular G3 facsimileis an important feature, but the color function is not standardized inthe G3 format but is realized only between the apparatus of a samemanufacturer, according to a mode specific thereto. Thus the color imagecommunication between the apparatus of different manufacturers is notpossible by the protocol signals based on the current G3 standard.

4. Deterioration of characters by the JPEG process, in the headerinformation of the transmitting side:

Most G3 facsimile apparatus adds, in the transmission, the headerinformation as a part of the transmitted image. The header informationgenerally includes the telephone number and abbreviation of thetransmitting terminal, calendar information such as year, month, dateand time, and the transmitted page number. Such header information isdeveloped, at the transmitting side, from the character information intothe image data, then subjected to binary compression encoding (such asMH encoding) and transmitted to the receiving side.

However, in the transmission of a multi-value color image by the JPEGprocess, it is already known, if such header information is added to theimage and subjected to such JPEG process, that the characters containedin said header information are significantly deteriorated by theproperties of JPEG process and often become illegible depending upon thecharacter size. For this reason, in the color image transmission, it isrequired to use larger characters in the header information in order tomaintain legibility. This leads to a drawback that the area of theheader information becomes larger in the image reproduced at thereceiving side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an image communicationapparatus capable of efficiently handling an original containing colorimages and monochromatic images in mixed manner as mentioned above.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an imagecommunication apparatus capable of selecting optimum sheet at theprinting operation, thereby improving the image quality and reducing thetotal running cost.

The above-mentioned objects can be attained, according to an aspect ofthe present invention, by an image communication apparatus capable ofrecording a received image, comprising discrimination means fordiscriminating whether a received image is to be recorded as a colorimage or as a monochromatic image; supply means capable of supplyingmutually different plural recording members; control means fordetermining which of said plural recording members is to be supplied,according to the output of said discrimination means; and recordingmeans for recording said received image on the recording member suppliedby said supply means.

Still other objects of the present invention, and the features thereof,will become fully apparent from the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiments of the present invention, to be taken inconjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the entire configuration of a color imagecommunicating apparatus constituting an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel of the apparatus of theabove-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the data flow in the transmission bythe apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the data flow in the reception by theapparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a communicationbuffer in the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer unit inthe apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a cartridge moving mechanism in theprinter unit shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view showing the relation of positions of thecartridge shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sequence chart showing an example of protocol in themonochromatic image communication by the apparatus of theabove-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a sequence chart showing an example of protocol in the colorimage communication by the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sequence chart showing an example of protocol in thecolor/monochromatic mixed image communication by the apparatus of theabove-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a sequence chart showing another example of protocol in suchcolor/monochromatic mixed image communication;

FIG. 14 is a chart showing an example of G3 transmission controlprotocol signal, shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, in the above-mentionedembodiment;

FIG. 15 is a chart showing another example of said G3 transmissioncontrol protocol signal;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing the data structure of JPEG baselineencoding data to be transmitted as color image information in theapparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the content of preparation of pageheader information to COM marker parameters in the apparatus of theabove-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the operation sequence in thetransmission by the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a view showing the states of a color communication lamp and acolor page lamp in the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing the setting sequence of the readingresolution in the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing the selecting operation for the colortransmission and the monochromatic transmission in the apparatus of theabove-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a flow chart of the monochromatic transmitting operation inthe apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIGS. 23 and 24 are flow charts of the color transmitting operation inthe apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIGS. 25 and 26 are flow charts showing the details of the image datatransmission in the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIGS. 27 and 28 are flow charts showing the receiving operation in theapparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a flow chart showing the details of the image data receptionby the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing the cartridge selecting operation in theapparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing the cassette selecting operation in theapparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing the transition of display of a pagecounter in the transmitting operation of the apparatus of theabove-mentioned embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a table indicating the relationship between the printerstatus and the indicator in the apparatus of the above-mentionedembodiment; and

FIG. 34 is a table showing marker codes of the image frame and variousparameters to be employed in the apparatus of the above-mentionedembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following there will be explained an embodiment of the colorimage communicating apparatus of the present invention, said embodimentbeing characterized by the following features:

(1) It is provided with memory control means for processing amonochromatic image through an image memory in the monochromaticcommunication state, control means for processing a color image withoutaccumulation in said image memory in the color communication state, andswitching control means for switching the above-mentioned means;

(2) It employs the ink jet method in the recording unit, and is providedwith means for loading plural ink cartridges in a single recording unit;

(3) It is provided with composing means capable of selecting, for theplural ink cartridges, an arbitrary combination of a monochromatic inkcartridge and color ink cartridges.

(4) It is provided with automatic selection means for identifying theoperation mode and automatically selecting the optimum ink cartridge;

(5) It is provided with plural recording sheet cassettes and selectioncontrol means for varying the method of cassette selection in the colorimage printing operation and in the monochromatic image printingoperation;

(6) It is provided with selection instruction means for selecting, inthe document to be transmitted, pages for color communication and apages for monochromatic communication, by the unit of each page;

(7) It is provided with encoding control means for encoding, by amulti-value image compression method, the image of a page designated forcolor communication by said selection instruction means, and, by abinary image compression method, the image of a page designated formonochromatic communication;

(8) It is provided with operation control means for adopting a commonoperation method for designation of the resolving power for colororiginal reading and for monochromatic original reading;

(9) It is provided with instruction means for instructing, prior to thestart of communication, presence of a page to be transmitted by colorcommunication in the document to be transmitted, and control means foractivating information means to the operator, in case said instructionmeans instructs the presence of a page to be transmitted by colorcommunication and, after the start of communication, the absence ofcolor receiving ability is detected by a response signal from adestination unit;

(10) It is provided with display means, in case the instruction means in(6) selects a page for color communication and during the colorcommunication of said page, for displaying by visual means that theinstruction is executed;

(11) It is provided with detection means for detecting the state of therecording unit, discrimination means for discriminating whether a colorprinting operation can be executed according to the detection by saiddetection means, and communication control means for informing, afterresponse to received message, the partner unit of the absence of colorreceiving ability in case said discrimination means provides a negativeresult;

(12) It is provided with means for adding character information,including an own terminal ID code, calendar information and transmittedpage number to the parameter of the comment marker (COM) in the JPEGencoded data, and means for adding the comment marker to each page;

(13) It is provided with means for printing the content of the parameterof the comment marker in the received JPEG codes, on a recording sheeton which an image page including said comment marker is recorded;

(14) It is provided with header information preparation control meansadapted, in the transmission side for transmitting a document containingmonochromatic pages and color pages in mixed manner, in the transmissionof a binary-encoded monochromatic page, for preparing the headerinformation of the page (transmitting unit ID, calendar information,page number etc.) as an image and transmitting said header informationafter addition thereof to the transmitted image, and, in thetransmission of a multi-value encoded color page, for transmitting saidheader information of the page without addition to the image data;

(15) It is provided with setting means for expanded setting of the colorcommunication parameters according to the content of the standardsignals defined in the ITU-T recommendation T.30;

(16) It is provided with identification means for extracting andidentifying the color communication parameters from the content of thestandard signals defined in the ITU-T recommendation T.30;

(17) It is provided with reception control means adapted, in case colorcommunication parameters are transmitted, together with DCS, from apartner terminal, for effecting immediate image output withoutaccumulation of the received image in an image memory, and, in case thecolor communication parameters are not at all communicated inassociation with DCS, for effecting the image output together with theaccumulation of the received image in the image memory;

(18) It is provided with counting means for individually counting thenumber of color recorded pages and the number of monochromaticallyrecorded pages;

(19) It is provided with counting means for individually counting thenumber of color transmitted pages and the number of monochromaticallytransmitted pages;

(20) It is provided with memory means for memorizing the result ofcounting according to (18) or (19);

(21) It is provided with display means for displaying the result ofcounting according to (18) or (19).

Now the color image communicating apparatus embodying the presentinvention will be explained in detail, with reference to the attacheddrawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

The image communicating apparatus of the present embodiment is afacsimile apparatus having G3 facsimile functions and adapted to beconnected to an analog telephone line, and additionally provided withthe functions for transmission and reception of a color image.

In FIG. 1, there are shown a CPU 1-1 for controlling the entireapparatus; a ROM 1-2 used as a program memory for storing programs forvarious controls by the CPU 1-1; and a RAM 1-3 used for example as awork area for the CPU 1-1 and backed up with a battery so as not to losethe content of memory.

An encode/decode unit 1-4 is provided, as will be detailedly explainedlater with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a raster-block conversion unit4-1, a color converter 4-2, a JPEG encoding unit 4-3 and an MH encodingunit 4-5 as the transmission system, and with a block-raster conversionunit 5-1, a color converter 5-2, a JPEG decoding unit 5-3 and an MHdecoding unit 5-5 as the reception system.

There are further provided a known MH encode/decode unit for MH encodingof the entered binary monochromatic signal and for decoding of the MHcodes into binary monochromatic signals; and a JPEG encode/decode unitand a color conversion circuit for conversion of multi-value colorcomponent input signals of red, green and blue of 8 bit/pixel into threesignal components of Y, Cr and Cb and generating encoded data by theJPEG baseline encoding, or decoding of JPEG baseline encoded data intoY, Cr, Cb multivalue data of 8 bit/pixel and conversion of said Y, Cr,Cb signal components into C, M, Y, K signals to be used on the printer.

A modem 1-5 effects modulation and demodulation of the transmission andreception signals, based on the ITU-T recommendation V.17. An NCU(network control unit) 1-6 effects connection control with a telephonenetwork. A timer unit 1-7 is composed for example of a clock LSI havingcalendar function.

An operation panel 1-8 is provided with various operation keys anddisplay units, of which details will be explained later with referenceto FIG. 3. An image memory 1-9 is composed of a semiconductor memory, socontrolled as to store the image data in the unit of a page.

A color scanner 1-10 optically reads an original with separation into R,G and B components, and releases each color in each pixel as multi-valuedata of 8 bits. In the present embodiment a color contact sensor isemployed as the reading device, and an automatic document feeder isprovided for automatic feeding of the originals to be read.

A printer interface 1-11 is provided, as shown in FIG. 5, with abinarizing unit 5-6 and an interface control unit 5-7, and effectsconnection control with a printer unit 1-12 by a general interface 1-13according to the centronics specification. It controls the generalinterface 1-13 in such a manner that multi-value input signals of C, M,Y and K colors are transmitted to the printer unit after conversion ofeach color data into binary data and that monochromatic binary inputdata are transmitted directly to the printer unit. It also has thefunction of detecting the status of the printer unit through thisinterface 1-11 and informing the CPU 1-1 of said status.

The printer unit 1-12 is capable of color recording and monochromaticrecording by the ink jet recording system. There is further provided aCPU bus 1-14 in the present communication apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the present communicationapparatus, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the operation panel 1-8mentioned above.

Referring to FIG. 2, an original table 2-1 for setting the originals isprovided on an upper face of the casing of the apparatus, and theoperation panel 1-8 is provided thereon. An original discharge tray 2-3is provided behind said operation panel. Also on the front face of thecasing of the apparatus there is provided a recording sheet dischargeunit 2-4, and a first recording sheet cassette 2-5 and a secondrecording sheet cassette 2-6 for storing the recording sheets areprovided thereunder. For example the first cassette 2-5 can containsheets suitable for color recording, whereas the cassette 2-6 cancontain sheets suitable for monochromatic recording.

Referring to FIG. 3, numeral keys 3-1 are composed of twelve keys of0-9, # and * and are principally used for entering telephone numbers. AnLCD unit 3-2 provides displays indicating the status of the apparatus orfor confirming the entered telephone number.

One-touch keys 3-3 are used for one-touch transmission by readingaddress numbers stored in advance in the RAM 1-3. A start key 3-4 isused for instructing, for example, the start of transmission, and a stopkey 3-5 is used for interrupting the operation in progress.

A color key 3-6, for instructing the process as a color original, isprovided with lamps respectively in the outer frame portion and in theinternal portion of said key. The internal lamp in the color key 3-6 isindicated by 3-7. A color indicator lamp 3-8 is turned on when a state,capable of color recording, in the printer unit 1-12 is detected.

A resolution selecting key 3-9 is used for switching the resolution oforiginal image reading, and the state varies upon each depression asshown in FIG. 20. The resolution of the image transmitted can beregulated by said key 3-9, either in monochromatic image reading or incolor image reading.

In the present embodiment, because of the difference in characteristicsbetween the full color image and the monochromatic image, the resolutionin the monochromatic mode is made selectable as 8 pel×15.4 line/mm inthe super fine mode, 8 pel×7.7 line/mm in the fine mode or 8 pel×3.85line/mm in the normal mode, while that in the full color mode is fixedat 8 pel×7.7 line/mm but the content of the dot quantizing table (DQT),used in the JPEG baseline encoding, is changed in the super fine, fineand normal modes. This is because it is already known, in the JPEGencoding of a full color image, that the image quality is lessinfluenced by an expansion in the quantizing step, through a variationin the content of the quantizing table, rather than a decrease in theimage reading resolution.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the data flow of a transmitted imagein the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing thedata flow in a received image.

At the transmitting operation, an original 4-7 is illuminated by a whitelight source 4-8 and is read by the scanner unit 1-10 including a colorcontact sensor 4-9, and each analog signal, separated into R, G and Bprimary colors, is converted into 8-bit digital data which are releasedfrom said scanner unit 1-10 to the CPU bus.

In case of color image reading, said data are supplied through the CPUbus to the encode/decode unit 1-4 for raster-block conversion in abuffer memory (raster-block conversion unit 4-1) therein. In thisraster-block conversion, the 8-bit data supplied from the scanner unit1-10 in the order of raster scanning and in the order of R, G and B arere-arranged as blocks, each consisting of a matrix of 8×8 pixels,thereby generating block-sequential data consisting of a R-block, aG-block, a B-block, a R-block, . . .

Then said block-sequential RGB data are subjected to already known colorspace transformation to obtain block-sequential YCrCb data. Said dataare then JPEG encoded and the obtained results are supplied from theencode/decode unit 1-4 to a communication buffer 4-4.

The communication buffer 4-4 is controlled, as shown in FIG. 6, asdouble buffers 6-1, 6-2 of a capacity of 64 kByte×2, composed of a partof the RAM 1-3. The JPEG encoded data transmitted by the communicationbuffer 4-4 are transferred to the modem unit 1-5, and transmitted to theexternal line from the NCU 1-6.

Consequently the color image is transmitted without page accumulation inthe image memory 1-9, because of the following reason.

The amount of JPEG encoded data per page of the color image is usuallyin a range of 500 kByte to 2 MByte, with the resolution of 8 pel×7.7line/mm. On the other hand, the image memory 1-9 employed in the presentembodiment is of a capacity of 256 kByte, and cannot, therefore, be usedas the page memory for the color image. On the other hand, the capacityof 256 kByte can sufficiently store the data of a monochromatic page.

In the following there will be explained, with reference to FIG. 4, thetransmission of a monochromatic original.

The RGB data released from the color scanner unit 1-10 to the bus are insuccession fetched in the RAM 1-3, and the CPU 1-1 samples the G (green)output data only, as the monochromatic signal, which is binary digitizedwith a predetermined threshold level in a monochromatic binarizing unit4-6. The obtained binary monochromatic data are MH encoded in an MHencoder/decoder 4-5 of the encode/decode unit 1-4 in succession andreleased to the bus.

In case of the monochromatic mode, the CPU 1-1 normally stores the MHencoded data in the image memory 1-9, then calls another terminal afterthe accumulation of the data of at least a page, and effects datatransfer from the image memory 1-9 to the communication buffer 4-4 afterthe line connection. Thus this is a transmission from the memory.

It is also possible, however, to transmit the data to the communicationbuffer 4-4 without passing the image memory 1-9, as in the color modementioned above.

Now reference is made to FIG. 5 for explaining the data flow of theimage data in the reception.

The image data received from the external line through the NCU 1-6 andthe modem 1-5 are supplied to the communication buffer 4-4, and, in caseof a color image, the image data are transferred therefrom to theencode/decode unit 1-4.

The encode/decode unit 1-4 decodes the received data by JPEG baselinedecoding to obtain block-sequential YCrCb data, which are then convertedin the color conversion unit into block sequential data of CMY(cyan/magenta/yellow) color space.

Said block-sequential CMY data are then subjected to block-rasterconversion to sequential raster data train of C, M and Y colors, whichare supplied to the printer interface unit 1-11. Said printer interface1-11 effects CMYK color separation by black component extraction throughthe processing of the input data train, and binary digitizes each datafor supply to the printer unit 1-12.

In the above-mentioned process, the method for generating binary rasterdata of C, M, Y and K colors from the multi-value YCrCb block data isalready well known.

As explained above, the image memory 1-9 is not used as the color imagepage memory also in the reception.

In case the data of monochromatic images are received by thecommunication buffer 4-4, said data are usually accumulated insuccession, in the unit of a page, in the image memory 1-9, and areread, after the accumulation of at least a monochromatic page, by theencode/decode unit 1-4 for MH decoding. The decoded monochromatic binaryimage data are then supplied to the printer interface unit 1-11, whicheffects control without passing of the binarizing unit 5-6.

It is also possible, however, to transfer the received monochromaticdata directly from the communication buffer 4-4 to the MH decoder 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the control system of thecommunication buffer 4-4.

The communication buffer 4-4 is composed of a buffer 6-1 of 64 kByte anda buffer 6-2 of 64 kByte, corresponding to the partial page size in theECM (error correction mode) communication defined in the ITU-Trecommendation T.30.

When image data of 64 kBytes (partial page) are received for example bythe buffer 6-1, they are checked for data errors, and, in the absence ofdata errors, the received data are transferred from the buffer 6-1 tothe encode/decode unit (or image memory), and, during said transfer, thenext partial page is received by the buffer 6-2. In case the receptionof the buffer 6-2 is completed during the transfer of the data from thebuffer 6-1, an RNR signal is returned to the other terminal to suspendthe start of transmission of the next partial page (cf. FIG. 11).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer unit1-12.

The printer unit 1-12 is provided with a printer control unit 7-1 forcontrolling said printer unit 1-12, a cartridge control switch 7-2 forswitching the cartridges according to a cartridge switching signal 7-3from said printer control unit 7-1, a motor A 7-4 for moving a cartridgeA 7-5 along the main scanning direction of the recording sheet, and amotor B 7-6 for similarly moving a cartridge B 7-7. At the H-level ofthe switching signal 7-3, the printer control unit 7-1 is connected tothe cartridge A 7-5, thereby activating said cartridge or detecting thestatus thereof. Also at the L-level state of the switching signal 7-3,the cartridge B 7-7 can be similarly controlled.

FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of the cartridges A, B and adriving mechanism for the recording sheet.

On a recording sheet table 8-1, there are provided a common guide shaft8-2 for moving both cartridges 7-5, 7-7; a drive belt 8-5 for drivingthe cartridge A along the guide shaft 8-2; a similar drive belt 8-6 forthe cartridge B; a retraction area 8-7 for retracted storage of thecartridge A; a retraction sensor 8-8 for detecting that the cartridge Ais set in the retracted position; a retraction sensor 8-12 for thecartridge B; a retraction area 8-13 for the cartridge B; a steppingmotor A 8-14 for driving the drive belt 8-5 for the cartridge A; and astepping motor B 8-15 for driving the drive belt 8-6 for the cartridgeB.

The cartridge A 7-5 and the cartridge B 7-7, composed of plasticpackages of a same shape, are respectively provided with ink dischargeheads 8-4, 8-11, and are connected to flexible cables 8-9, 8-10.

The cartridge attachable to said drive belt and said flexible cable isavailable in two types; one being the monochromatic cartridge in whichthe ink tank contains black ink only and the nozzles of the dischargehead are all designed for the black ink; and the other being the colorcartridge which is same in the external shape as said monochromaticcartridge but in which the ink tank and the nozzles of the dischargehead are divided for cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks.

Such two cartridges, same in shape but respectively designed formonochromatic and color functions, are already known in the field of inkjet printers, and the construction of the recording unit in the presentembodiment, utilizing plurality of such existing cartridges, isadvantageous for the manufacturing cost of the apparatus.

Each of the above-mentioned two cartridges is capable of supplying anelectrical identification signal to the flexible cable, so that theprinter control unit 7-1 can identify, by switching the switching signal7-3 in succession, whether each of the cartridges A, B shown in FIG. 8is a monochromatic or color cartridge.

In the following there will be explained, with reference to FIG. 9, thefunction of each cartridge in the printer unit 1-12 of the presentembodiment.

Normally the cartridges A, B are stored in the respective retractionpositions. In case of recording with the cartridge A on the recordingsheet, the stepping motor A is rotated by a predetermined number ofpulses to move said cartridge A from the storage position (1) to a homeposition (3) for recording.

Subsequently the motor A is driven within a range (4), taking said homeposition as reference, for effecting recording operation in the mainscanning direction of the recording sheet, which is advanced incombination. After the recording, the cartridge A is once returned tothe position (3) and is then stored in the position (1).

Also the cartridge B is moved from the retraction position (2) to thehome position (3), and effects recording in the range (4).

A table in FIG. 33 indicates the algorithm of lighting of the colorindicator 3-8, depending on the status of the printer.

Now reference is made to FIGS. 14 and 15 for explaining the full colorexpansion of the G3 transmission control protocol signal of the presentembodiment.

A DIS signal shown in FIG. 14 sets a full color expansion area of 1byte, for the DIS signal defined by the ITU-T recommendation T.30.

A bit 7 "different encodings in document" set at "1" and a bit 1 "JPEGcolor function" set at "1" in the expansion area indicate that thereceiving side is capable of receiving a document containing a JPEGencoded full color page and an at least MH-encoded monochromatic page.

On the other hand, said bit 7 set at "0" indicates that the receivingside is incapable of receiving, within a single communication, an imagepage encoded by other than JPEG method.

A DCS signal shown in FIG. 15 sets a full color expansion area of 1byte, for the DCS signal defined by the ITU-T recommendation T.30.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the protocal of an ordinarymonochromatic communication, and FIG. 11 illustrates an example of theprotocol of a color communication.

As a specific example, in case of transmitting ordinary monochromaticoriginals only in one communication, even if the receiving unit declaresthe presence of color capability, the transmission is made, as shown inFIG. 10, without addition of the above-mentioned color expansion area toDCS, whereby the receiving unit can detect the absence of transmissionof a color page within the single communication.

The protocal shown in FIG. 10 shows a case in which all the transmittedimages are once accumulated in the image memory prior to the MHencoding. The protocols shown in FIG. 10 are already well known in theG3 facsimile and will not, therefore, be explained in detail.

On the other hand, in case of transmitting, within the document to betransmitted, only the intermediate pages by color mode and the remainingpages by monochromatic mode, the transmission is made with the additionof the color expansion area to the initial DCS. In such case the bit 1"use of JPEG function" in the expansion area is set at "0" (not used).

Upon DCS reception, the receiving unit can detect that (1) the initialpage is monochromatic, but (2) a JPEG color page may be transmittedafterwards.

FIG. 11 shows a case in which all the pages contain color images, andthe bit 1 of the color expansion area of the initial DCS is set at "1"(to be used).

Since all the pages are color, the receiving unit cannot use the imagememory 1-9, and the data received by the communication buffer 4-4 aresuitably transferred to the JPEG decoding circuit 5-3.

As already explained before, if the reception of the buffer 6-2 iscompleted while the data are still transferred from the other buffer6-1, namely if the communication buffer becomes full, the RNR signal isreturned to temporarily suspend the transmission.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show examples of communication sequence containingmonochromatic pages and color pages in mixed manner.

FIG. 12 shows an example of the sequence in which the receiving unitdetects the presence of the color expansion area in the initial DCS,thereby printing all the received pages directly without using the imagememory 1-9.

Also FIG. 13 shows an example of the sequence in which the receivingunit stores all the monochromatic pages in the image memory 1-9 andprinting thus stored monochromatic pages after the reception andrecording of all the color pages are completed.

In the sequences shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the color expansion area isadded to the initial DCS, but the bit 1 thereof is set at "0", and amode change is indicated by PPS-EOM immediately before the transmissionof a color page. When said mode change is indicated, the receiving sideagain declares the presence of color receiving capability, and thetransmitting side sets the bit 1 of the color expansion area at "1" inthe next DCS.

FIG. 16 schematically shows the data structure of the JPEG baselineencoded data defined by the ITU-T recommendation.

Data of a page are composed of an image frame, sandwiched between SOIand EOI markets. After the SOI marker, the image frame contains variousparameters associated with the marker code as shown in FIG. 34, and abaseline frame starting with SOF₀. Said baseline frame contains a scanframe starting with a SOS marker, and said scan frame containsJPEG-encoded compressed image data.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the content of the page headerinformation for the comment (COM) marker parameters in the presentembodiment.

In the monochromatic G3 facsimile, page header information, containingfor example the ID information of the transmitting unit, calendarinformation, page number etc., is usually formed as an image in thetransmitting unit and is transmitted by addition to the image of atransmitted page. In this manner said page header information can beconveniently reproduced in the received image.

However, if the header information is formed as an image as in the caseof monochromatic facsimile, attached to the transmitted image and JPEGencoded, such page header information may be deteriorated in quality andbecome illegible at the receiving side, because the JPEG baselineencoding is an irreversible encoding not ensuring faithful reproductionof the original image, and because the deterioration in image quality issignificant for characters.

In the present embodiment, therefore, only in case of transmission of acolor page, character information as shown in FIG. 17 is prepared as theparameters of the COM marker in the JPEG data and transmitted to thereceiving unit.

In FIG. 17, (A) stands for the abbreviated name of the transmittingunit; (B) is the calendar information read from the clock unit; and (C)indicates the page number. The receiving unit, having received a colorpage, prints the character information of the COM marker on therecording sheet at the recording of the received image, therebyproviding header information easily recognizable by the user, as in thepage header of the received monochromatic page.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the operation sequence of thetransmitting operation. The details of said sequence, in case of colortransmission, are shown in FIGS. 21 and 23 to 26, and, in case ofordinary monochromatic transmission, in FIGS. 21 and 22.

Referring to FIG. 18, at first an address telephone number is entered bythe numeral keys 3-1 (S1) and registered in the RAM 1-3 (S2), and thetransmitting operation is subsequently initiated by the depression ofthe start key 3-4 (S7). The transmission is similarly started by thedepression of one of the one-touch keys 3-3 (S8).

In case of ordinary monochromatic transmission, after the original imageis accumulated in the image memory 1-9 as shown in FIG. 22 (S11, S12),the calling operation is conducted by reading the dialling number fromthe RAM (steps on and after S13).

In the sequence shown in FIG. 22, the original is at first read andaccumulated in the image memory 1-9 (S11). If a next page is not present(S12), the calling operation is made with the dialling number stored inthe RAM 1-3 (S13) to effect line connection, and CNG transmission isexecuted (S14). Upon DIS reception (S15), there is effected DCStransmission without the color expansion area, as explained above (S16).Then, after TCF transmission (S17) and upon CFR reception (S18), thereis initiated the transmission of the monochromatic image (S19).

On the other hand, in case of color transmission, after the lineconnection by a calling operation (S21), the original reading is started(S32), as shown in FIG. 23.

Referring to FIG. 23, the line connection is made by a calling operationwith the dialling number stored in the RAM 1-3 (S21), and CNGtransmission is conducted (S22). Upon DIS reception (S23), there isdiscriminated the color receiving ability of the receiving unit (S24).If the color receiving ability is not available, DCN transmission ismade (S23) and the sequence is terminated by an error state.

On the other hand, if the color receiving ability is available at thereceiving unit, reference is made to a color page lamp to be explainedlater (S26), and, if it is turned off, 00_(h) is set in the colorexpansion area (S28), but, if it is turned on, 11_(h) is set in thecolor expansion area (S27).

Then there are executed DCS transmission (S29) and TCF transmission(S30), and, upon CFR reception (S31), there is initiated the imagetransmission of a page (S32). Thereafter, if the next page is notpresent (S33), the sequence proceeds to an ending protocol (S34), but ifthe next page is present, there is discriminated, in the sequence shownin FIG. 24, whether a mode change still exists (S35). If the mode changeis present, there is conducted PPS-EOM transmission (S36), and, afterMCF reception (S37), the sequence returns to the step S23. In case ofabsence of the mode change, there is conducted PPS-MPS transmission(S38), and, after MCF reception (S39), the sequence returns to the stepS32.

Also in the transmission in the step S9, there is checked the status ofa color communication lamp, to be explained later, (S41) as shown inFIG. 21, and, if said lamp is turned on, the sequence proceeds to acolor transmitting operation (S42), but, if said lamp is turned off, thesequence proceeds to a monochromatic transmitting operation (S43).

The one-touch keys 3-3 are respectively associated, in the RAM, withdata tables, in which registered in advance are destination telephonenumbers and parameters required for the transmission. Prior to the startof transmission, the operator can select the color mode (S3, S4) and theresolution (S5, S6).

In the step S3 shown in FIG. 18, the color communication lamp at theoutside of the color key 3-6 and the color page lamp 3-7 at the insidevary their states in response to depressions of the color key, as shownin FIG. 19. A state A in FIG. 19 indicates the aforementioned settingfor the monochromatic transmission, while states B, C and D indicate thesetting states for color transmission.

The states B and D are set in case color transmission is conducted in acertain page within a communication, but the first page ismonochromatic. Also the state C is set in case color transmission isconducted within a communication and the first page is also a colorpage.

As shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, in the course of page transmission in thestate B, C or D shown in FIG. 19, the state of the lamps varies betweenthe states B and C (or between C and D) in response to the depressionsof the color key 3-6, in order to enable selection, for each page,whether the next page is to be transmitted in the color mode or in themonochromatic mode.

FIG. 20 shows the state changes in the resolution lamps (super fine andfine) in response to the depressions of the resolution key in the stepS5 shown in FIG. 18. In the present embodiment, for the monochromaticpage, the image reading resolution varies depending on the super finemode, fine mode or normal mode (in which both lamps are turned off),but, for the color page, the resolution remains constant but the contentof the quantizing table for JPEG encoding is varied. For this reasonplural quantizing tables are registered in advance in the ROM 1-2 andare suitably selected at the JPEG encoding, and the content of theselected quantizing table is transmitted, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17,as a parameter of the DQT marker to the partner terminal.

Referring to the flow chart shown in FIG. 25, the state of the colorpage lamp is checked at first (S51), and, if it is turned on, the pagereading operation is started (S52) and the count of a through pagecounter is increased by one (S53). Then the color data transmission isstarted (S54), and the color page lamp is made to intermittently flash(S55).

Then the color key entry is accepted (S62) until the page end isdetected in a step S56, and the state of the color page lamp is switchedthereafter (S63-S65).

Also when the page end is identified in the step S56, the count of acolor page transmission counter, for counting the number of transmittedcolor pages, is increased by one (S57). Then the state of the color pagelamp is checked (S58), and, if it is intermittently flashing, it isturned on continuously (S59), but, if it is turned off, the pagetransmission is terminated (S60). Then the sequence returns after thedischarge of the original of said page (S61).

On the other hand, if the step S51 identifies that the color page lampis turned off, there is started the page reading operation (S66), and,after the increment of the through page counter, preparation of theheader information (image development) and start of MH encoding (S67),there is initiated the transmission of the monochromatic data (S68).

Then, until the page end is detected in a step S69, the color key entryis accepted (S71) and the state of the color page lamp is switched(S72-S74).

Also when the step S69 identifies the page end, the count of amonochromatic page transmission counter, for counting the number oftransmitted monochromatic pages, is increased by one (S70) and thesequence proceeds to the step S60.

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing the transition of the display of the pagecounter in the above-explained transmitting operation. As shown in FIG.32, there are displayed the numbers of entire pages, monochromatic pagesand color pages, and the color communication lamp at the outside of thecolor key 3-6 is turned on at the color transmission while to color pagelamp 3-7 at the inside is turned on at the transmission of a color page.

In the following there will be explained, with reference to FIGS. 27 to29, the receiving operation of the present embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 27, in the stand-by state, there are conducted (S81)detection of the incoming call and check of the printer 1-12. In saidchecking operation, there are confirmed the mounting state of pluralcartridges, presence of ink in the mounted cartridges, mounting state ofthe recording sheet cassettes and presence of the recording sheets insaid cassettes, and these states are memorized in succession in the RAM1-3, while an incoming call signal (CI) from the NCU 1-6 is detected(S82).

Upon detection of the incoming call, the line is connected (S83), and aresponse signal DIS to the partner terminal is transmitted. In this DIStransmission, the color indicator 3-8 is turned on by the logic shown inFIG. 33 if the printer 1-12 is capable of color recording (S84). Thus,in case the color indicator is turned on, the color expansion area of 1byte shown in FIG. 14 is attached to DIS in the transmission (S85, S86),but, in case said color indicator is turned off, said expansion area isnot attached to the DIS (S92, S93).

When DCS is returned from the partner unit in response to theabove-mentioned DIS (S87, S94), there is checked the color expansionarea of said DCS (S88, S96). If a DCS, instructing the color receptionwith the color expansion area is received in response to the DIS notcontaining the color expansion area (S96), the communication isinterrupted and the sequence is terminated.

If a DCS instructing the ordinary monochromatic reception is received inresponse to the DIS, regardless of the presence or absence of the colorexpansion area, there is conducted the ordinary monochromatic imagereception (S97-S99).

On the other hand, if the content of the DCS contains the expansionarea, in response to the DIS declaring the color receiving ability bythe addition of the above-mentioned color expansion area, there isconducted the image reception for color reception (S89-S91), in whichmixed color and monochromatic pages can be received. The details of theimage reception in the step S91 are shown in FIG. 29.

If the DCS instructs the color reception by the expansion area, thecolor page reception is conducted for the first page, but, if the colorreception is not instructed even in case of a DCS containing theexpansion area, the monochromatic page reception is conducted for thefirst page.

FIG. 29 is a flow chart showing the receiving sequence for each page inthe color communication.

At first there is discriminated whether a color reception command hasbeen received (S111), and, if received, the color mode is instructed tothe printer 1-12 (S112). Then the encode/decode unit 1-4 is set at theJPEG decoding route (S113), then the parameters of the received COMmarker are printed (S114), and the color recording is started by thedecoding operation (S115).

Subsequently an increment of the color page reception counter isconducted (S116), and the sequence returns upon completion of decoding(S117), and completion of recording (S118). Also in case of anabnormality prior to the completion of the recording (S119), thesequence is terminated.

On the other hand, the step S111 instructs monochromatic page reception,the monochromatic mode is instructed to the printer 1-12 (S120), thenthe encode/decode unit 1-4 is set at the MH decoding route (S121), andthe decoding operation is started for monochromatic recording (S122).Then there is conducted an increment of the monochromatic page receptioncounter (S123), and the sequence proceeds to the step S117.

If a next page is present after the image reception of each page in theabove-explained manner, the sequence proceeds to the flow chart shown inFIG. 28. If a PPS-MPS indicating the absence of the mode change isreceived (S100), and if the recording sheet is present (S106), an MCF istransmitted (S107) and the sequence returns to the step S91. If therecording sheet is absent (S106), the sequence is terminated for error.

On the other hand, if a PPS-EOM is received (S101), and if the recordingsheet is present (S104), an MCF is transmitted (S105) and the sequencereturns to the step S85. If the recording sheet is absent (S104), thesequence is terminated for error.

If a PPS-EOP, indicating the last page, is received (S102), an MCF istransmitted (S103) and the sequence is terminated.

FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing the cartridge selecting operation of theprinter 1-12, to be executed by the control unit 1-1 forcolor/monochromatic designation to the printer 1-12 in the steps S111,S112 and S120 in FIG. 29.

At first there is discriminated whether the color recording or themonochromatic recording is selected (S131), and, in case of colorrecording if any of the cartridges is a color cartridge (S133), saidcolor cartridge is selected (S134). Otherwise the sequence is terminatedfor error.

In case the step S131 identifies the monochromatic recording, if any ofthe cartridges is a monochromatic cartridge (S132), said monochromaticcartridge is selected (S136). Otherwise a color cartridge is selected(S135).

FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing the recording cassette selectingoperation.

In the steps S111, S112 and S120 in FIG. 29, if the color recording isdesignated (S141), there may be employed a recording sheet exclusive forcolor recording or ink jet recording, in order not to deteriorate thequality of the recorded image. By setting such exclusive sheets in thecassette 1 and the ordinary sheets (for example for monochromatic copysheet) in the cassette 2, the cassette 1 is preferentially selected inautomatic manner in the color recording (S142-S145). Also the cassette 2is preferentially selected in automatic manner in case the step S141designates monochromatic recording (S146-S149).

The above-explained embodiment provides the following advantages:

1) Presence of the switching control means, for selecting either memorytransmission control means for processing monochromatic images bystorage in an image memory in the unit of a page in the monochromaticcommunication or direct transmission/reception control means forprocessing the image data without accumulation in said image memory incase of the color communication, avoids the use of a memory of a hugecapacity in the color communication, thereby enabling to significantlyreduce the manufacturing cost of the apparatus;

2) The printer connected with the control unit through an interface iscomposed of a control unit for the ink jet recording mechanism andplural ink cartridges, and is further provided with control means foreither one of the plural cartridges in the printer. It is thus renderedpossible to reduce the cost of the recording unit for monochromatic andcolor recording, also to prevent the increase in the electric powerconsumption and to achieve an increase in the ink capacity, notachievable with a single ink cartridge. Also the apparatus can beoperated even in case any of the ink cartridges is inoperable forexample because of lack of ink, by the selection of an operablecartridge;

3) The above-mentioned ink cartridge is constructed with a same shapefor the color recording and for the monochromatic recording, so that thecartridges can be mounted in an arbitrary combination;

4) Use of plural recording sheet cassettes and cassette selectioncontrol means for employing different cassette selecting methods for thecolor image printing and the monochromatic image printing enables toselect an optimum sheet for the color printing, thereby improving theimage quality, and to select an ordinary sheet for the monochromaticprinting thereby reducing the running cost;

5) Use of selection means for selecting the color mode or themonochromatic mode for each communication, and selection means capable,in case the color mode is selected by the first-mentioned selectionmeans, of color transmission or monochromatic transmission for each pageof the original, allows to improve the operation efficiency in thetransmission of a document consisting solely of monochromatic pages andin the transmission of a mixed document containing monochromatic pagesand color pages, and also to significantly improve the transmissionefficiency because the monochromatic page need not unnecessarily betransmitted in the color mode;

6) The operation control means for employing a common operation methodfor designation of the resolution in the color original reading and inthe monochromatic original reading includes means for switching theresolution in the reading of the monochromatic original but fixing theresolution and switching the quantizing table in the reading of thecolor original, thereby providing a visual effect of switching of theresolution without deterioration in the image quality of the colorimage;

7) Means for indicating, prior to the start of communication, presenceof a page for color transmission in the document to be transmitted, andinforming means to be activated in case the absence of color receivingability is declared by the partner terminal in response to theinstruction for color communication, allow to prevent unnecessarytransmission such as automatic monochromatic transmission despite thatcolor transmission is desired;

8) The operator can be relieved from the stress, since, within adocument including the color communication, the execution of theinstruction is visually displayed for the page in the colortransmission;

9) Discrimination means and informing means for detecting the state ofthe printer and discriminating whether the color recording can beexecuted enable maintenance work in advance, such as ink replenishment;

10) Also in case the inability for color recording is identified, theabsence of color receiving ability is informed to the partner terminalafter the call therefrom, so that the erroneous transmission of thecolor image from said partner terminal can be avoided;

11) Means for adding the terminal ID, calendar information andtransmitted page number to the comment marker in the JPED encoded datain the color page transmission, and means for recording such addedinformation, significantly improve the legibility of the headerinformation in the JPEG color image;

12) Use of a color expansion area in the standard signals DIS, DCSaccording to the ITU-T recommendation T.30 enables color communicationnot only between the apparatus of a same manufacturer but also betweenthose of different manufacturers; and

13) Efficiency of maintenance is improved by means for individuallycounting the numbers of transmitted pages and received pagesrespectively of color pages and monochromatic pages.

In the above-explained embodiment, as explained in the foregoing, use ofselection means for selecting color transmission or monochromatictransmission for each page of the original document can improve theoperation efficiency in the transmission of a document consisting solelyof monochromatic pages and a mixed document containing monochromaticpages and color pages. Also the transmission efficiency can besignificantly improved since the monochromatic page need not beunnecessarily transmitted in the color mode.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image communication apparatus comprising:receiving means for receiving image data respectively representing a plurality of pages of at least one image, said receiving means further receiving control information representing whether the image data is color image data or monochromatic image data, wherein the control information is received by said receiving means at a time when the image data is switched between color image data and monochromatic image data; discrimination means for discriminating, separately for each page and based on the control information, whether the image data representing that page is to be recorded as color image data or monochromatic image data; selection means for selecting, for each page, one of a first recording medium supply unit and a second recording medium supply unit in accordance with a result of said discrimination means for that page; recording means for recording the image data of each page on a recording medium supplied from the one of the first and second recording medium supply units selected by said selection means for that pages; count means for separately counting a number of pages of the color image data recorded by said recording means and a number of pages of the monochromatic image data recorded by said recording means; and storage means for storing the numbers of pages obtained by said count means.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first recording medium supply unit contains a recording medium suitable for use in color image recording and said second recording medium supply unit contains a recording medium suitable for use in monochromatic image recording, said selection means selecting said first recording medium supply unit for one of the pages when said discrimination means discriminates that the image data for that one page is to be recorded as color image data and selecting said second recording medium supply unit for that one page when said discrimination means discriminates that the image data for that one page is to be recorded as monochromatic image data.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when there is no recording medium in the recording medium supply unit selected by said selection means for one of the pages, said recording means records the image data for that one page on a recording medium supplied from another recording apparatus.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means records the image data for each page on the recording medium supplied from the recording medium supply unit selected for that page by ejecting ink onto the recording medium.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the numbers obtained by said count means.
 6. An image communication method, comprising the steps of:receiving image data respectively representing a plurality of pages of at least one image, said receiving step further receiving control information representing whether the image data is color image data or monochromatic image data, wherein the control information is received by said receiving step at a time when the image data is switched between color image data and monochromatic image data; discriminating, separately for each page and based on the control information, whether the image data representing that page is to be recorded as color image data or monochromatic image data; selecting, for each page, one of a first recording medium supply unit and a second recording medium supply unit in accordance with a result of said discriminating step for that page; recording the image data of each page on a recording medium supplied from the one of the first and second recording medium supply units selected by said selecting step for that pages; separately counting a number of pages of the color image data recorded in said recording step and a number of pages of the monochromatic image data recorded in said recording step; and storing the numbers of pages obtained in said counting means.
 7. An image communication apparatus comprising:receiving means for receiving image data respectively representing a plurality of pages of at least one image; discrimination means for discriminating, separately for each page, whether the image data representing that page is to be recorded as color image data or monochromatic image data; selection means for selecting, for each page, one of a first recording medium supply unit and a second recording medium supply unit in accordance with a result of said discrimination means for that page; recording means for recording the image data of each page on a recording medium supplied from the one of the first and second recording medium supply units selected by said selection means for that page; count means for separately counting a number of pages of the color image data recorded by said recording means and a number of pages of the monochromatic image data recorded by said recording means; and storage means for storing the numbers of pages obtained by said count means.
 8. An image communication method, comprising the steps of:receiving image data respectively representing a plurality of pages of at least one image; discriminating, separately for each page, whether the image data representing that page is to be recorded as color image data or monochromatic image data; selecting, for each page, one of a first recording medium supply unit and a second recording medium supply unit in accordance with a result of said discriminating step for that page; recording the image data of each page on a recording medium supplied from the one of the first and second recording medium supply units selected by said selecting step for that page; separately counting a number of pages of the color image data recorded in said recording step and a number of pages of the monochromatic image data recorded in said recording step; and storing the numbers of pages obtained in said counting means. 